THE THIRD
GOLDEN PERIOD

Howard
Kendall

Everton's
next rescuer
was appointed
after a short
while –
another
ex-Evertonian:
Howard
Kendall. The
first few
seasons under
Kendall
weren't that
promising and
at the end of
1983 Kendall's
was very close
to being
sacked. Some
of the fans
demanded his
sacking after
some poor
performances,
but club
chairman
Philip Carter
backed
Kendall. Then,
like a gift
from the
heaven, during
a League Cup
fifth round
match against
Oxford while
being 0-1
down, Everton
got a lucky
equaliser
scored by
Adrian Heath.
The bad
back-pass from
an Oxford
defender that
led to the
goal is
probably the
single most
important pass
in Everton's
history. This
match has
generally been
thought of as
the turning
point, and the
replay was won
4-1. The FA
Cup went well
and Everton
didn't suffer
a defeat in
the League for
two months.

Everton met
Liverpool in
the League Cup
final, which
was the first
all-Merseyside
final. In the
0-0 draw at
Wembley, Alan
Hansen cleared
an Adrian
Heath attempt
off the line
with his hand
without any
consequences,
and Pool
luckily won
the replay at
Maine Road
1-0.

1984
Cup-winners

This
disappointment
was quickly
forgotten as
Everton won
their first
trophy in
fourteen
years, beating
Watford 2-0 in
the FA Cup
final with
goals from
Graeme Sharp
and Andy Gray.
Sharp scored
with a shot
that hit the
post before
going in and
Gray headed in
a fantastic
cross from
Steven, a
rising star.
There was some
controversy
about this
goal, as the
ball seemed to
be under
goalkeeper
Steve
Sherwood's
control.
Watford had
managed to
create several
dangerous
chances early
in the match,
but Everton
took control
in the second
half. When
captain Kevin
Ratcliffe
lifted the Cup
after the
match, a big
burden created
by the
constant
success of
Liverpool was
also lifted.
The path was
clear for new
Everton
victories.

THE GREAT
SEASON OF
1984-85

Everton
won the
Charity Shield
at the start
of the season
through an own
goal by Bruce
Grobbelaar.
High hopes
somewhat
diminished
when the first
two matches
were lost with
a goal total
of 2-6, but
after that
Everton got a
hang of it.
Watford were
beaten away
with an
amazing 5-4
scoreline.
This win was
to be followed
by two
glorious
victories,
proving that
Everton were
back at the
very top:
first,
Liverpool were
beaten at
Anfield for
the first time
since 1970,
with a
fantastic long
range volley
from Graeme
Sharp. A few
weeks later
the highly
praised
Manchester
United were
crushed 5-0 at
Goodison after
a marvellous
Everton
performance.

Following
these fine
victories,
Everton played
gloriously,
especially
after Boxing
Day; Everton
didn't loose a
match until
they had
secured their
eighth League
championship
in May 1985
(18 matches,
16 victories,
2 draws, and
the last ten
were
victories!).
The last test
was at the end
of April, when
Everton met
their worst
rival,
Tottenham, at
White Hart
Lane, but this
match was also
won 2-1 with
goals from
Andy Gray and
Trevor Steven
and some super
saves from
Neville
Southall.
Everton won
the title, as
in season
1969-70, by
beating every
opponent at
least once. No
one else has
been able to
do this during
this period,
or after 85.

THE
GLORIOUS
CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM

Kevin
Ratcliffe

Everton
won the
championship
with an
excellent team
performance,
and a team
that was
unchanged week
in, week out.
Even though it
didn't have
many
superstars, it
had no weak
spots either.
In goal they
had the best
keeper since
Ted Sagar and
Gordon West:
Welsh
international Neville
Southall,
who had risen
to the very
top of British
and even world
football. As
proof, the
sports
writers'
association
awarded him
the Player of
the Year
award, the
first Everton
player
ever.

The
fullbacks were
Gary Stevens,
a home-grown
talent soon to
be promoted to
the English
squad, who
made quick
runs upfield,
and Pat Van
Den Hauwe, who
came from
Birmingham
early in the
season and was
known for his
fierce tackles
and ruthless
play.
Central
defenders were
Everton and
Welsh captain
Kevin
Ratcliffe, one
of the
quickest
players in the
League, and
the young
Derek
Mountfield,
who scored a
lot of goals
(10 in the
League, no
penalties).

Peter
Reid

Still,
midfield was
the area that
brought
Everton the
title. Peter
Reid, Paul
Bracewell,
Trevor Steven,
and Kevin
Sheedy could
well be
compared to
the 1969-70
midfield of
Kendall-Ball-Harvey
in skill and
commitment.
The first
three of those
players were
selected for
the English
squad and
Sheedy was to
play in the
Irish squad
for years.

Reid had
the same
leadership
qualities and
never-say-die
attitude as
Alan Ball, and
the opposition
certainly felt
that on the
field; Reid
also had a
very good
workrate, he
was always
ready to
receive the
ball.
Reid was
awarded the
Players'
Association's
Player of the
Year award –
also the first
time for an
Evertonian.

Bracewell
was also a
midfield
fighter in
some respects,
but he had
good vision,
making
excellent
passes.
Steven on the
right and
Sheedy on the
left were the
skillful
players,
though. Steven
was able to
take the ball
to the
opposition's
box with his
superb
technique and
dribbling
skill, and he
also scored
often (12
League
goals).
Sheedy was
able to
dribble in
small spaces
and he had the
best left foot
in the League,
giving
excellent
crosses and
scoring many
goals from
freekicks (11
goals in the
League).

THE
SUPERMAN FROM
THE RESERVES

In
front of these
players was
Graeme Sharp,
who combined
new and old in
his playing
position.
He was a tall
player with
good heading
abilities, so
he was able to
play as a
target man,
but he was
also good in
the ground, so
he was able to
create
chances.
Although his
scoring rate
dropped in the
later years,
he was a
consistent
scorer during
these times,
with 21 League
goals.
During the
early parts of
the season,
the other
striker was
Adrian Heath,
the
pocket-sized
player.
He was the
ideal partner
for Sharp. He
was scoring at
a regular
pace: 11
League goals
before
December,
when, just on
the verge of
an English
call-up, he
injured his
knee badly in
a match
against
Sheffield
Wednesday.

Andy
Gray

But
there was no
need to worry:
up came the
veteran (at
the age of 29)
striker Andy
Gray, who
substituted
Heath in a
fantastic way,
even though he
was a
traditional
centre
forward.
Gray's
courage,
commitment and
never-say-die
attitude were
already
legendary and
made him a
cult hero at
Goodison.
Because Sharp,
Steven,
Sheedy,
Mountfield and
even Stevens
scored at a
regular pace
(Everton
scored 88
goals in the
League!) Gray
didn't feel
any pressure.
Still he
scored 9 goals
in the League
and some of
the goals are
unique, like
two headers
against
Sunderland at
Goodison and
two classic
goals against
Leicester at
Filbert
Street.

The 1984-85
team wouldn't
have been able
to achieve all
this just by
themselves.
Solid
substitutes,
like the Kevin
Richardson and
the utility
player Alan
Harper, were
there as
backups when
injuries came
and gave also
some tactical
options to
Kendall.

THE FIRST
EUROPEAN
SUCCESS

We
wouldn't be
able to define
season 1984-85
greatest ever
just for
winning the
Championship
title. This
was also the
season for the
first
Euoropean
success.

The
European
campaign
didn't start
well, beating
University
College Dublin
only 1-0 on
aggregate. But
it improved
after this,
with Inter
Bratislava
from
Czechoslovakia
beaten 4-0 on
aggregate, and
Fortuna
Sittard from
Netherlands
5-0. Worried
about the
crowd problem
caused by some
English fans
abroad, the
club didn't
sell any
tickets to
it's fans,
which agitated
many. This was
an unnecessary
precaution, as
the fans
behaved
impeccably at
the subsequent
European
matches.

The
semi-final was
a real test,
as the
opposition was
one of the top
teams in
Europe, Bayern
Munchen, with
Lothar
Mattheus one
of their
brightest
stars. In the
first
semi-final at
the fully
packed
(78,000)
Olympic
Stadium in
Munich,
Everton wer
able to hold
on to a 0-0
draw, with
Kevin
Richardson
saving on the
line, so
things looked
good for the
second leg.
Black clouds
filled the
sky, though,
as the Germans
were one ahead
at half-time
with a goal
from Dieter
H&oumlness.

But it was
Everton who
would win this
game with
sheer
determination
and will. The
Toffees
started the
second period
very well;
first Sharp
equalised and
then Gray took
them in front.
After Bayern
had to go for
forward in
search of a
goal, the
Everton
players were
given space
and Steven
scored a
fantastic goal
on an
excellent pass
from Gray,
making it 3-1.
There were
about 48,000
spectators at
Goodison with
some 200
Bayern
supporters.
This was one
of the finest
evenings in
Goodison's
history and
will be
remembered as
the time when
even the
boardroom sang
and cheered.

Everton
were
favourites in
the final
against Rapid
Wien and they
dominated the
game from the
start. Near
the end of the
first half,
Sheedy placed
a freekick
onto
Mountfield's
head and his
layoff was
hammered into
the net by
Gray. The goal
was
disallowed,
though, as an
offside. This
was a wrong
call, which
was easy to
see from the
replay.

Gray
hadn't said
his last word,
though. Early
in the second
half Sharp ran
on to a
backpass and
crossed the
ball to Gray
who calmy put
the Toffees
into a well
deserved lead.
A moment later
it seemed a
decided
matter, as
Steven scored
from a
cornerkick.
But Rapid
fought back
and, from one
of their few
attacks, star
player Hans
Krankl scored
a goal that
looked
distinctly
offside.
Everton didn't
let this
affect them.
Right after
the restart
the ball came
to Sharp, who
headed it on
to Sheedy. His
magical left
foot hit the
ball into the
net: 3-1, and
celebrations
were underway.
Everton fans
didn't create
any problems
in Rotterdam,
unlike their
neighbours
from across
the park two
weeks later at
Heysel. This
tragedy cost
Everton the
chance to win
the European
cup next
season.

THE
DISAPPOINTMENT
OF THE FA CUP

Everton
were after a
unique triple
that season,
but the last
part was not
to be won at
the FA Cup
final. On the
road to
Wembley,
Everton beat
Leeds,
Doncaster,
Telford,
Ipswich, and
Luton in the
semi-final.

Luton were
one up at
halftime, but
Everton
managed to
come back.
Sheedy scored
from a
freekick in
the last
minute and, in
extra-time, he
lifted another
freekick to
Mountfield who
headed Everton
into the
final.

The final
against
Manchester
United was
played just
three days
after the ECWC
final and the
hard fixture
list had
obviously had
an effect on
the Toffees.
As proof, the
sending off of
Kevin Moran in
the second
half didn't
help Everton,
– on the
contrary,
United got a
boost. After a
goalless 90
minutes,
United scored
in extra-time
from a
counterattack
when a Norman
Whiteside shot
from a narrow
angle went in.

This defeat
wasn't one to
moan about for
a long time,
though, as the
season on the
whole had been
a tremendous
success for
Everton.
Everton were
admired
everywhere.
Peter Reid was
the Player
Association's
Player of the
Year, Neville
Southall was
Football
Writers'
Association's
Player of the
Year and
Howard Kendall
was, of
course, the
Manager of the
Year. Everton
won World
Soccer's vote
for the team
of the year in
Europe easily,
ahead of FC
Barcelona.

THE DOUBLE
THAT WENT TO
THE WRONG
ADDRESS

Gary
Lineker

Andy
Gray once said
that you have
to improve the
team when it's
at it's best.
This happened,
and ironically
it was him who
had to step
down in favour
of Gary
Lineker in the
summer of
1985. Lineker
cost Everton
£850,000, a
sum that
Lineker paid
back in full.
Paul Wilkinson
was another
striker
fighting for a
place. The
main reason
for buying him
was, that he
had
sensationally
scored the
winner at
Goodison when
Grimsby won in
the League
Cup.

It was
obvious that
Kendall wanted
to keep
Everton at the
top in other
tournaments
since they had
been denied a
place in
Europe. The
season started
well enough
with a 2-0
victory over
Manchester
United in the
Charity
Shield, after
a fine Everton
performance.

The League
didn't start
that well,
though.
Although
Arsenal were
beaten 5-1 at
home, Everton
didn't do that
well until the
turn of the
year. When
Everton beat
Liverpool at
the end of
February at
Anfield 2-0,
with a weak
long-range
shot from
Ratcliffe and
a Lineker
tap-in, it
looked as if
Everton were
going to take
the title
second year
running. Even
the absence of
super-keeper
Southall (he
was injured at
the end of
March) didn't
stop Everton,
as the reserve
keeper Bobby
Mimms played
well.

But as has
been pointed
out in several
places,
Liverpool had
a super-human
run during the
spring that
took them past
us. An away
defeat at
Oxford on the
last day of
April was the
crucial game,
and even a 6-1
victory at
home against
Southampton in
the next match
didn't help.
Ironically it
was the Manor
Ground where
Everton
started their
glorious run
two and a half
years earlier.
Now the same
field cost
Everton the
title and a
dream of the
double.

Everton had
reached the FA
Cup final for
a third time
in a row.
Sheffield
Wednesday wer
confronted in
the semi-final
at Villa Park
without an
injured Gary
Lineker.
Super-sub Alan
Harper put the
Toffees in
front, but
after the Owls
had equalised
and Sharp
missed a
million-pound
chance, it was
extra-time.
This time
Sharp didn't
miss and his
sensational
first-time
volley
straight from
a pass by Paul
Bracewell made
it 2-1, and
set up a
meeting with
Liverpool at
Wembley.

The final
was a huge
thing for the
entire city of
Liverpool.
Just like the
League Cup
final in 1984,
the Blue and
Red fans
travelled to
London and
filled Wembley
in a spirit of
friendship,
even though
the fight for
best team in
the town was
at it's
highest.

Everton
dominated the
first half and
went
deservedly one
up, when
Lineker scored
with his
second attempt
after he was
put through by
a fine pass
from Peter
Reid.
Previously, at
0-0, referee
Alan Robinson
was the
decider of the
match, when he
didn't award
the clearest
penalty in the
world after
Steve Nicol
had felled
Graeme Sharp
from the
behind.

Just like
in the
previous
League Cup
final meeting,
where Alan
Hansen's
handball
failed to win
a penalty,
Liverpool had
a 12th man on
the field. Was
it a
coincidence
that it was
the same man,
Alan Robinson,
on both
occasions??

FROM A
BITTER DEFEAT
TO NEW
VICTORIES

The
lead at
half-time was
well deserved.
In the second
half, Everton
even stepped
up a few gears
and a right
foot shot from
Kevin Sheedy
almost
increased the
lead, but then
Liverpool took
control. Gary
Stevens has
usually been
blamed for the
equaliser,
because his
pass went
straight to
the
opposition,
and from this
situation Ian
Rush was able
to score.
Bruce
Grobbelaar had
to make a
spectacular
save from a
Graeme Sharp
header before
Craig Johnston
put the Pool
in front after
a fine
combination.
Ian Rush then
scored again
to finish it
off. The
defeat was
very bitter to
the Toffees
for several
reasons.
Firstly, the
referee had a
large
influence in
it and
secondly, the
double that
was coming to
Everton went
to this other
place.

The season
was still a
fantastic
triumph for
Gary Lineker,
who scored 30
League goals
and a total of
40 goals in
all. Graeme
Sharp also
managed a
respectable 19
goals. Everton
were able to
take full
advantage of
Lineker's
enormous pace,
with several
of his goals
coming from
through balls.
This top ace
of the English
squad was
elected as the
Player of the
Year by both
the
sportswriters
and
professional
colleagues.
What a hero he
would be if
the double had
come to the
right place!

Everton had
four players
in the English
squad for the
1986 World Cup
finals, just
like in 1970:
Gary Lineker,
Peter Reid,
Trevor Steven
and Gary
Stevens.
England
started
poorly, when
only Lineker
and Stevens
played, but
the deciding
match against
Poland saw all
four in the
team, and
things started
to happen!
Lineker -
still as an
Everton player
- was
eventually the
top scorer
with six goals
and is still
only the
second English
player to
accomplish
this. Soon
after the
finals, the
move that had
been
speculated
upon for a
while finaly
happened:
Lineker needed
new challenges
(euro-cup
matches, for
instance) and
went to
Barcelona for
a staggering
£2,750,000.

A
CHAMPIONSHIP
FOR THE ENTIRE
TEAM IN
1986-87

Even
though Lineker
had gone to
Catalonia, it
was defense
and midfield
where Kendall
bought
players. The
English
international
defender Dave
Watson
came from
Norwich
costing nearly
a million to
replace the
injured Derek
Mountfield,
and the
veteran player
Paul Power
(33) cost
£60,000 when
he moved from
Manchester
City.
The start of
the season
didn't look
too bright,
because
several other
players were
injured along
with
Mountfield:
Peter Reid,
Paul Bracewell
(a long time
injury), Gary
Stevens, Pat
Van Den Hauwe
and Neville
Southall, who
hadn't yet
recovered.
Kevin Langley
was brought in
from Wigan to
bring some
help.

Kendall had
already in
spring bought
Warren
Aspinall, a
promising
striker from
Wigan, and
Paul Wilkinson
was waiting
for his chance
to replace
Sharp or
Heath. Kendall
was also able
to beat
Liverpool in a
fight for
Leeds' young
midfield star
Ian Snodin
later in the
season. Snodin
cost
£840,000.
Still, perhaps
the most
important buy
was Wayne
Clark, bought
from
Birmingham to
replace the
injured Graeme
Sharp.
He scored five
goals in ten
matches when
it mattered
most.

Everton
didn't play
badly at the
start of the
season, even
though they
had so many
players
injured,
thanks to the
fine play of
the new
signings and
substitute
players.
Especially
Paul Power,
whom many had
doubts about,
played a fine
season, and
his good
performances
in the 40
matches he
played brought
consistency in
the
team. In
December and
round the end
of the year,
Everton had a
great run when
they won six
matches in a
row, beating,
for instance,
Newcastle 4-0
away and
Leicester 5-1
at home.

Everton
further
improved when
the key
players
started coming
back (Reid in
February), and
from mid-March
to the end of
April, Everton
won seven
matches in a
row. They
included an
important 1-0
away victory
over Arsenal,
when the
Arsenal keeper
John Lukic
kicked the
ball straight
to Clarke, who
lobbed the
ball into the
net from 35
yards.
Liverpool, who
had a clear
lead at the
top, started
to stumble in
the meantime,
loosing to
Wimbledon at
home 1-2, 0-1
to Man Utd
away, and 1-2
to Norwich in
a match where
they lost (for
the second
time in a row)
even though
Rush scored
(first time
was the League
Cup final
against
Arsenal a week
earlier), and
so Everton
with a
succession of
victories came
from the
behind and
went by
them.

The
championship
was decided
with the third
last match of
the season, a
0-1 away win
over Norwich,
when Pat Van
Den Hauwe
scored his
only goal of
the season
from a corner
after just 45
seconds.
Everton had
won their
ninth
Championship
title and
wiped away the
bitter
memories of
the previous
season with
one blow.

1987
Champions

The
title was a
tremendous
effort from
the team
considering
how many of
the key
players were
constantly
injured. In
total, Kendall
used 23
players during
the season, so
this title
didn't come
after such a
glorious
performances
as the
previous one,
but the
commitment was
exemplary.

After
Lineker
departed, the
goalscoring
was left to
more players,
and especially
Trevor Steven
and Kevin
Sheedy did
their part.
Steven scored
14 and Sheedy
13 times even
though he only
played 28
matches.
Adrian Heath
was back again
with 11 goals.

Kendall's
managerial
skills were
there for all
to see. Beset
with injury
problems, he
was always
able to find a
good
replacement,
either from
the reserves
or by dipping
into the
transfer
market. Lesser
attention has
been paid to
many players,
whose efforts
were still
important:
young Neil
Adams played
12 matches;
Wayne Clarke
10; Kevin
Langley, who
scored twice
in the 16
matches he
played; and
Paul
Wilkinson, who
played in 22
matches. Bobby
Mimms played
11, Warren
Aspinall
totalled 6,
and Ian
Marshall 2
matches.

The success
in season
1986-87 made
Kendall the
most
successful
manager in
Everton's
history,
because he
brought two
championships,
one FA Cup and
the first
euro-cup
victory to
Goodison.
Perhaps more
importantly,
he took
Everton back
into the elite
after being in
the shadows of
the other team
in Liverpool
for one and a
half decades,
during which
time they won
plenty of
silverware.

It wasn't a
surprise then,
when Kendall
wanted to try
his skills in
Europe,
although it
was a huge
shock to all
Evertonians.
In June 1987
Kendall broke
the news that
he was moving
from his
beloved
Everton to the
Spanish team
Athletic
Bilbao.

The board
appointed
Colin Harvey,
who had helped
Kendall to
build the
successful
Everton teams
of the past
three seasons,
as the new
manager.